UTC women's golf team set for regional at Auburn

UTC women's golf team set for regional at Auburn

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's golf team began planning for the NCAA postseason after the Mocs finished celebrating their Southern Conference championship.

The Mocs now know, after Monday's selection show, that their dream quest of winning a national championship begins at the Auburn University Golf Course as a participant in the NCAA East Regional on May 9-11.

If they finish within the top 10 at Auburn, they'll go to the national finals. But they are seeded No. 22 out of 24 teams in the regional.

"I'm happy, and I like the draw," UTC coach Colette Murray said. "I like the teams; I like that it feels close to home so we might get some people to come see us. That would be nice."

Defending national champion Alabama is the top seed in the East Regional, followed by Arkansas, UCLA, North Carolina and Virginia.

"When you look at those teams seeded in the West, I think we're in a better place," Murray said. "I think we have more of a chance in the East."

Her Mocs are playing in an NCAA regional for the fifth consecutive year and fourth with the SoCon's automatic bid. They earned an at-large bid in 2009, Murray's second season after resurrecting the program, and earned automatic bids the last four seasons.

UTC advanced to the NCAA championship tournament and finished 21st in 2009 by finishing eighth at the Central Regional. The Mocs would like to get to the title tournament once again.

But they'll have to do it with four golfers who have never played in the NCAAs accompanying Jordan Britt, who is now a junior and has played in two NCAA tournaments.

"Jordan knows that when she shows up on the golf course is when we need her the most," Murray said. "She has to score and place for us to have a chance."